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Excellence and Equity in Education

Student Services

Every student deserves support for their social, emotional, and behavioral well-being.

The County Office partners with school districts to strengthen school-based behavioral and mental health services. Through collaboration with community organizations—including the County of San Mateo, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, the Human Services Agency, local law enforcement, and others—we work to engage, coordinate, and expand access to care for students across our region.

Many of the programs and staff members within the Safe & Supportive Schools Department support the work of the San Mateo Coalition for Safe School and Communities.  As such, there is some crossover between this site and the Coalition website.

Resources

Programs

The Big Five: Safety Trainings, Practices, and Protocols

School safety is an ever-growing area of concern in our communities. As a result, the Coalition of Safe Schools and Communities and the San Mateo County Office of Education provide many resources to help school communities prevent emergencies and be better prepared in case an emergency occurs.
Primary Contact: Mason Henricks | mhenricks@smcoe.org

Comprehensive School Safety Plan

Each school in California is required to develop a school safety plan which is updated on an annual basis to help create and maintain a safe environment conducive to learning for students and staff. SMCOE provides resources for schools to create a school safety plan that adheres to The Big Five emergency response protocols.
Primary Contact: Mason Henricks | mhenricks@smcoe.org

Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program

The County Office supports foster youth at the county, district, and school site level, including the Foster Youth and Youth Experiencing Homelessness Executive Advisory Council meetings.  Learn more.
Education Liaisons: Renee Vorrises | rvorrises@smcoe.org    Rosanna Anderson | randerson@smcoe.org
Coordinator: Valerie Arbizu | varbizu@smcoe.org

LGBTQ+ Programs

SMCOE supports schools and districts in starting and strengthening Genders and Sexualities Alliances (GSAs) to create a welcoming and safe school climate for youth who identify as LGBTQ+.  Learn more.
Primary Contact: Stacy Russell | srussell@smcoe.org

Mental Health and Wellness

District administrators and other school staff support student mental health and wellness through several programs, including the Community Resiliency Model (CRM), Suicide Prevention Protocols, Youth Mental Health First Aid, and the Parent Project.  Learn more.
Primary Contact: Becky Stephan, Ed.D | bstephan@smcoe.org

McKinney Vento (Youth Facing Homelessness)

The federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, reauthorized in January 2002, protects the educational rights of children and youths experiencing homelessness. The intent of the law is to make certain that homeless students have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education—including a public preschool education—that is provided to other students. Homeless students have the right to enroll in and attend school, participate fully in the school program, and have the opportunity to meet the same challenging academic achievement standards to which all students are held. Learn more.
Primary Contact: Stacy Russell | srussell@smcoe.org

Positive Behavior Supports

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a framework that supports schools in adopting and organizing evidence-based positive behavioral interventions and supports.  We are excited to become the Regional Technical Assistance Center beginning in the 2026-27 School Year! Learn more.
Primary Contact: Greg Fry | gfry@smcoe.org

Safe Routes to School

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) San Mateo County is a countywide program offered by the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) to encourage and enable school children to walk and bicycle to school by implementing projects and activities that improve the health, well-being, and safety of children and result in less traffic congestion and emissions caused by school-related travel. Funding for this program is made possible by the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG).
Primary Contacts: Theresa Vallez Kelly | tvkelly@smcoe.org    Roselle Loudon | rloudon@smcoe.org

School Climate

SMCOE supports districts in creating a positive school climate through practicing restorative justice, embedding trauma-informed strategies into their schools, and developing a crisis response manual. SMCOE also sponsors events that positively engage students such as RESPECT! 24/7.  Learn more.
Primary Contact: Stacy Russell | srussell@smcoe.org

School Safety

Schools and districts across San Mateo County have adopted and follow the Big Five emergency protocols. SMCOE also provides several resources to support school safety, including an Emergency Management Resource Guide and Student Threat Assessment, Suicide Prevention, CSEC, and Student Sexual Assault protocols. Learn more about these resources here.
Primary Contact: Mason Henricks | mhenricks@smcoe.org - Student Threat Assessment, School Safety
Primary Contact: Becky Stephan, Ed.D | bstephan@smcoe.org - Suicide Prevention
Primary Contact: Valerie Arbizu | varbizu@smcoe.org - CSEC, Student Sexual Assault Protocols

Substance Use Prevention & Youth Engagement (formerly TUPE)

The Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) program provides funding from Prop 99 tobacco tax dollars for tobacco prevention education. The San Mateo County Office of Education provides services to districts such as technical assistance to help districts design effective programs and meet funding requirements; information and updates on trends in youth tobacco use behaviors; prevention and intervention curriculum and strategies; staff development opportunities; and access to California Department of Education and community resources.
Primary Contact: Karla Rodriguez | krodriguez@smcoe.org